Nailing machine



April 22, 1952 E. A. VERRINDER ET AL NAILING MACHINE l2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Oct. 29, 1949 S M T N E V N EPA/EST A. VE/P/F/A/DER REGINALD HEARDATTORNEY April 22, 1952 E. A. VERRINDER ET AL NAILING MACHINE 12Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 29, 1949 W9 1 LTw L l/v vE/v TORS ERA/57 A.VE/F/F/A DEA REG/WALD h. HEARD April 22, 1952 E. A. VERRINDER ET ALNAILING MACHINE l2 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 29. 1949 R/VE5TA.VERAl/YDE/P REG/N440 li HEARD ATTORNEY Ap 1952 E. A. VERRINDER ET AL2,594,100

NAILING MACHINE 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 29, 1949 'lP/VESTA.KERR/N067? REG/IVALD/rff/E/IRD ATTORNEY April 1952 E. A. VERRINDER ET AL2,594,100

NAILING MACHINE 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 29, 1949 f/F/VEST A.VE/P/F/IVDEA? REG/N ALD HEA/PD April 19 E. A. VERRINDER ET AL 2,594,100

NAILING MACHINE 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Oct. 29, 1949 E/WVESTA JNVENTORSVE/Q/FI/VDEA" HEARD A TTORNEY April 22 1952 E. A. VERRINDER ET ALNAILING MACHINE l2 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Oct. 29, 1949 E/P/VEST A. VEAR/ADER REG/M4 L 0 H HEARD MNN April 22, 1952 E. A. VERRINDER ET AL2,594,100

NAILING MACHINE Fig. /.9

//v VE/VTORS E/P/VEST A. VERR/NDER April 22, 1952 E. VERRINDER ET AL2,594,100

NAILING MACHINE 12 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Oct. 29, 1949 Q m w .i M 8 {I H0 w u v 7 9 Q 0 9 0 m i U A 2 w, 36 iJ/Mw 5 a U 5 W 7 M 5 5. gm 5m 5 H.A D 1 EN NQ 2 ATTO/P/VEY Ap 1952 E. A. VERRINDEIR ET AL 2,594,100

NAILING' MACHINE Filed Oct. 29, 1949 12 Sheets-Sheet l2 .4 TI'ORNE)Patented Apr. 22, 1952 NAILIN G MACHINE Ernest A. Verrinder and ReginaldH. Heard, Riverside, Calif., assignors to Food Machinery and ChemicalCorporation, San Jose, Calif., a

corporation of Delaware Application October 29, 1949, Serial No. 124,275

13 Claims. (Cl. 1-10) This invention relates to machines for drivingnails in the manufacture of boxes and the like and is particularlyuseful in the making of relatively large packing boxes, loading palletsand similar articles of wood used industrially.

It is an object of the invention to provide such a machine which isrelatively simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture and which ishighly flexible in its adaptability for the driving of nails in a widevariety of patterns.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel mechanism forcompensating for variations in the thickness of the wood pieces beingworked upon in successive nail driving operations.

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects as well as otherobjects and advantages will be made clear in the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of thisinvention with the parts thereof shown as positioned at the mid-point ina nail driving cycle of operation.

Fig. 2 is a right side elevational view of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary portion of Fig. 1 illustrating certainparts positioned as at the initiation of a nailing cycle.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detailed fragmentary plan view of a nailing unit attachingclamp of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4 andillustrates in plan a nail driver support of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 'l--'! of Fig. 4 andillustrates in plan a nail chuck support of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3 which shows a piece of workpositioned on a nailing anvil and with the chucks resting on said work,and with the nail drivers descending to drive nails from said chucksinto said work.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8 illustrating the parts of theinvention as they are positioned at the moment the aforesaiddownward'nail driv ing movement is completed, which is to say at themid-point in the nailing cycle.

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line ll--l|v of Fig.10.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of themechanism through which 2 the chuck-supporting cross-head of theinvention is supported and lowered and raised during the nailing cycle,this view showing said crosshead in its lowermost posiiton.

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12 and showing both the chucksupporting head and the nail driving head of the mechanism in theiruppermost positions.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the mechanismshown in Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary perspective view of the same mechanism from adifferent angle.

Fig. '16 is an enlarged detail fragmentary front elevational view of alower portion of one of the chuck-and-driver units of the invention.

Fig. 17 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line I'l-ll ofFig. 5 and shows the heavy coiled spring which yields when a nail driversuspended thereon meets an excessive resistance to its downward travel.

Fig. 18 is an enlarged front elevational view of one of the secondaryclamps of the invention.

Fig. 19 is a plan view of Fig. 18, and illustrates the mode of operationof said clamp.

Fig. 20 is an enlarged front elevational view of a primary clamp of theinvention.

Fig. 21 is a plan view of Fig. 20.

Fig. 22 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 22-22of Fig. 3 and shows one of the tubular shafts of the invention slidingin a. vertical bearing provided therefor and the connections of theshaft at its upper end, with a secondary slide device and, at its lowerend, with a chuck support.

Fig. 23 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 23-23of Fig. 5 and shows a primary slide device of the invention and themanner in which this slides on one of the plates of the drivercross-head of the invention and is clamped to said plate in apreselected position thereon.

Fig. 24 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 2424 of Fig.12 and shows, in plan, end portions of the nail driver and chucksupporting cross-heads of the invention in the vertical slidablerelation these have with the square bars of the frame standards of theinvention.

Fig. 25 is a view similar to the Fig. 24 taken on line 25-2'5 of Fig. 12and illustrates the structure of the cam means of the invention forcorrelating the vertical movement of the two crossheads aforesaid withthe latter in lowered positions.

Fig. 26 isan enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 26-26 ofFig. 13 and illustrates the cam mechanism for correlating the verticalrelation of the two cross-heads with the latter positioned as at thebeginning and end of a nailing operation.

Fig. 27 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 21-21 of Fig. 1and illustrates the manner of mounting the support for the flexible naildelivery tubes of the invention on the chuck supporting crossheadwithout interfering with the longitudinal adjustment of driver-chuckunits on said crosshead.

Fig. 28 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a nail chuck employedin said invention, said view being taken on the line 28-20 of Fig. 7.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the invention is there shown asembodied in a nailing machine 25 which is fabricated almost entirelywithout the use of castings and includes a frame 26 having a fabricatedbase 21 from opposite ends of which standards 28 and 29 rise upwardly.

' Each of these standards is made up of a pair of bars 30 which aresquare in cross sectionand are united at their upper ends by cross bars32.

The standards 28 and 29 are reinforced adjacent the base 21 by verticalplates 33 and 36 providing stub shafts 35 on which crank gear wheels 36are rotatably mounted, these wheels being provided with crank pins 31.Suitable bearings (not shown) are provided in the plates 33 and 3G for ajack shaft 38 having pinions 39 on its opposite ends which mesh with thegear wheels 36. The jack shaft 38 carries a clutch 40 which isconstantly rotated through a belt 4| by a motor 42 mounted on the base21. The clutch 40 is adapted to be controlled by a foot pedal 43,momentary depression of which results in rotation of the jack shaft 38just long enough to cause a single revolution of the gear wheels 36.

The constantly rotating clutch 40 has a small diameter pinion sleevewhich drives a crank 49 through a gear train 5 for the purpose ofproviding a drive for oscillating the nail pan 53, to be made clearhereinafter.

Mounted on the cross bars 32 is a nail feeding mechanism which is ofwell known construction and is therefore not shown and described indetail. This mechanism has a frame 52 on which a nail pan 53 ispivotally mounted to deliver nails to a series of nail runs 54 from thelower ends of which nails are delivered by a picker mechanism includinga rotatable control shaft 55 so as to selectively feed nails downwardlytherefrom through nail funnels 55. The pan 53 is connected with a crank60 which is connected by a pitman 6| with crank 99 so that pan 53 isconstantly oscillated by the vertical rocking of the crank 50.

The control shaft 55 is rotated by a ratchet device 62 and a link 63connecting this with a bell crank 64, the manner of actuating the latterto rotate the shaft 55 being made clear hereinafter. 7

Adjustably supported on the standards 28 and 29 is an anvil mount 65made up of spaced plates 66 opposite ends ofwhich bear against outsidefaces of the square bars 39 and are secured to these bars by clamps 61which are secured to the plate ends by bolts 58 to cause said plate ends'to clamp the bars 30 as shown in Fig. 2. Sup- 4 these plates. it isalso to be observed that by loosening the bolts 68, the anvil mount 65may be slid vertically on the standards 28 and 29 to any desiredposition relative to these standards and then rigidly clamped in thisposition by tightening the bolts 68.

The anvil base 65 may also have provided thereon various other devicesfor centering the work for performing a nailing operation thereon suchas the stop 1 I.

In view of the square cross section of the bars 30 and their parallelrelation, the standards 28 and 29 offer vertical slideways for guiding anaildriver supporting crosshead I3 and a chuck supporting crosshead I4,disposed thereabove.

The nail driver crosshead I3 includes a pair of vertical plates I5 whichare secured at their opposite ends by cap screws I6 to end plates I8each of which carries a horizontal pin I9 (Fig. 26) which is connectedby a pitman 80 to the crank pin 31 of the gear wheel 36 on that end ofthe machine. The crosshead I3 also is pivotally connected with the lowerend of a link M (Fig. 2) the upper end of which connects to the bellcrank 64 so as to transmit a partial rotation to the nail feed controlshaft 55 with each nailing operation.

Also fixed to plates I5 (Figs. l4, 15, 24 and 25) by cap screws 82 arevertical plates 83, to inner faces of which are attached wear blocks 84which bear against outer faces 85 of frame bars 30. Secured to innerfaces of the plate I5 adjacent the blocks 84 are similar wear blocks 86which slide against lateral faces 81 of the bars 30 (Fig. 24). Thecombined action of the guide blocks 84 and 86 is thus seen to guide thecrosshead I3 on the vertical frame bars 30 so as to prevent endwise ortransverse movement of said crosshead relative to said frame bars.

Fixed to the outer faces of the crosshead plates I5 along the loweredges thereof are gear racks 88.

Formed in inside opposed faces of the bars 30 (Figs. 13, 14, 24 and 25)of each of the standards 28 and 29 are guide grooves 95. Secured to thesame faces of said bars at the upper ends of said grooves by countersunkscrews 96 is a spacer 91 (Figs. 13 and 26) which carries a rubber cap 98for a purpose of which will be made clear hereend of which is-pivotallyconnected by a bolt I05 v inbelow. Welded at its upper end to saidspacer and extending downwardly a substantial distance therebelow is afixed pivot supporting arm 99 having a bolt I00 in a lower inturnedextremity thereof. Disposed just within the arm 99 and pivotallyconnected thereto by the bolt IE0 is a short link NH. The other end ofthis link has a boltl92 on the inner end of which a roller I03 isrotatably mounted and the outer end of which pivotally connects the link[0| with a link I8 1, the upper to one of the gib plates 83 (Figs. 12and 13). r

The roller I03 extends into a camway I96 formed in a cam )1, upper andlower portions of which are joined as by welding to a vertical channelmember I09. This cam has slide plates I09 secured thereto as by bolts H0so that said plates extend into the grooves 95 whereby the cam I01 ismounted for vertical sliding movement on the frame bars 30. Extendinglongitudinally from an upper portion of the cam I01 is a pin II I.Pivotally supported on the pin III of the cam [01 is a T-shaped member II5 having a bolt H6 extending upwardly therefrom said member having theupper face I II covered with a cushion I I8 of resilient material suchas rubber. The-function of the members II 5 is to support opposite endsof the chuck supporting crosshead 14. This crosshead includes a pair oflongitudinal bars I I9 (Fig. 26) which are held in fixed spaced relationby a pair of hollow spacer blocks I which are secured to these plates bycap screws IZI. The blocks I20 rest on the rubber cushions I I8 and havesuitable holes therein for receiving the bolts H6 the latter having coilsprings I22 and nuts I23 applied thereto after such assembly, toyieldably hold the blocks I20 downwardly on the cushions I IS.

The cap screws I2I (Figs. 13 and 24) also unite the plates 9- to wearfittings I24 having wear blocks I25 which slidably bear against faces I26 of frame standard bars 30. Neither the crosshead plates II9 nor thewear fittings I24 bear against the bars 30 in a manner to restrain thecrosshead 14 from freedom to move transversely relative to the standardbars 30.

It is to be noted that each ofthe crossheads 13 and 14 includes a pairof flat plates of uniform cross section throughout their length theplates in each of these crossheads thus providing a slideway extendingsubstantially from one end to the other. Mounted on said crossheads toslide on said slideways is a series of chuck and driver units I30 (Fig.1). Each of these units comprises a, pair of horizontally shiftableassemblies I3I (Fig. 9) which are reverse duplicates of each other sothat a description of one will suffice for both.

Each of the assemblies I3I includes a primary slide device I32 (Fig. 23)which is supported on and adapted to slide longitudinally on one of thenail driver crosshead plates 15, and a secondary slide device I33 (Figs.10 and 11) which is supported on and, longitudinally slidable relativeto one of the bars I I 9 of the crosshead 14.

It is also to be noted that the devices I32 are disposed inside theplates 15 and the devices I33 are disposed outside of the plates I I9.

Each device I32 (Figs. 17, 20, 21, 22, and 23) includes an upper bar I34and a lower angle bar I35 to which are welded a pair of tubular sleevesI36 and I31. Secured by cap screws I40 to the angle guide bar I35 is abar I4I, which lies directly under and adjacent one of the racks 88, anda retainer plate I42 which extends upwardly opposite said rack and holdsthe angle bar I35 in snug slidable relation with the crosshead plate 15(Fig. 23). Journalling in suitable bearings provided in the angle barsI35 of each of the assemblies I3I of each unit I30 is a shaft I43 havingpinions I44 fixed thereon which mesh with the gear racks 88 of saidunits, at least one end I45 of said shaft being squared for theapplication of a wrench to turn said shaft to slide said unit I30longitudinally relative to the crossheads 13 and 14.

Provided on the guide bar I34 of each of the primary devices I32 is alock I46 (Fig. 21). This includes a pair of bolts I41 which pass throughsaid bar, through a pair of rollers I48 resting on the upper edge of theadjacent crosshead plate 15, and through a strap I50, the middle portionof which is bent outwardly. Formed centrally in the strap I50 is a holeI5I. Rigidly fixed in the guide bar I34 is a threaded stud I52 which isconcentric with hole I5I. Resting on the upper edge of the adjacentplate I15 are wedges I53 having cam faces I 54 at their inner ends.Apertured, so as to freely receive said stud,.and lying inside the strapI50, is a wedge block I 55. A sleeve I56 which is tapped to screw ontothe stud I52, extends through hole I5I against block I55.

This sleeve has a squared head I51 for the application of a wrenchthereto.

When sleeve I56 is thus rotated, it forces the block I55 between thewedges I53. This separates these and extends them under the rollers I 43which lifts the angle guide I35 against the crosshead plate 15 therebylocking this device I32 to said plate.

The sleeve I36 has bearing bushings I60 in its upper and lower ends.

Sleeve I31 has a shoulder I5I (Figs. 17 and 23) extending inwardly atthe upper end thereof through which a hollow shaft I62 with a cap I63 onits upper end extends downwardly. Compressed between the shoulder I5Iand the cap I63 is a rubber ring I64. The lower end of the hollow shaftI62 is threaded to receive a nut I65 which retains on said shaft a freecollar I66 and a coiled spring I61, the latter two elements beingenclosed within the sleeve 131, and the spring being forced upwardlyunder an adjusted degree of compression against the shoulder I61.

The secondary slide device I33 of each assembly I3I (Figs. 18, 19, and22) includes a body I10 of welded construction including a top plateI1I, a bottom plate I12, two J-shaped spacers I13, and a crosswisespacer I14. As shown in Fig. 22, the top and bottom plates I H and I12are grooved to slidably receive upper and lower edges of adjacentcrosshead plate H3. These plates HI and I12 are also provided withvertically aligned apertures to slidably receive a tubular shaft I15having a cap I16 on its upper end and which extends downwardly throughsaid apertures in said plates and through the bearing bushings I60embodied in the upper and lower ends of sleeve I36.

Extending laterally from the bottom plate I12 are spring holding pinsI11 and corresponding pins I18 are provided on the cap I15. Coil springsI19 are stretched between the pins I11 and I18,

thereby yieldably holding the hollow shaft I15 down with the cap I16resting on a rubber cushion ring I60 which surrounds said shaft betweensaid cap and the upper plate I1I of each slide device I33. The spacers113 and I14 (Fig. 19) are also apertured to slidably receive pins IBI.

The spacers I13 have openings in their front ends to receive lugs I82provided on levers I83 which converge outwardly towards a threadedretainer stud I84 which is fixed in the spacer I14 and has a nut I85which, when screwed on the outer end thereof, presses against theadjacent ends of the levers I 63 thus moving the levers I83 against thepins I8I and forcing the latter against the crosshead plate H9 andlocking the slide device I33 in place on said plate.

It is to be noted that the squared shaft I45 and the square end I51 andthe nut I35 are preferably all made so as to fit by a single wrench.

Supported on the threaded lower ends of the two hollow shafts I62 ofeach chuck and driver unit I30 is a driver mount 1513 (Figs. 3 and 6).This mount comprises a horizontal plate I51 having blocks L92 bolted orwelded thereto. These blocks are apertured to receive cap screws E93which extend freely through the blocks I92 and are screwed into tappedholes provided in blocks I04. The blocks 32 and I34 are bored and tappedat their planes of meeting so that each of these pairs of blocksoperates as a split nut into which the threaded lower end of one of thehollow shafts 162 is screwed.

The plate ISI has slots I95 receiving bolts I96, the latter adjustablysupporting driver retaining channels I91. Nail drivers I98 are provided,each of these having a body I99 which is apertured at its lower end toreceive a punch 200, held in place therein by an Allen screw 20I.Adjacent its upper end each driver body I99 has a slot 202 whereby theupper ends of said bodies may be slid into the channels I91 with aninturned lip 203 provided along one of the side edges of said channelextending into the slots 202 to unite the drivers I98 with said channelswhile permitting longitudinal adjustment of the drivers'in saidchannels.

Each of the units I30 is also provided with a chuck mount 2I0 (Figs. 3,'1, 10, l1, l6, and 22) which includes a pair of angle bars 2 held inspaced relation by four blocks 2 I2 welded thereto so that inturnedflanges 2I3 of said bars are spaced apart to receive bolts 2I4therebetween and to provide rests for nuts 2I5 of said bolts so that thelatter may be employed to tightly secure longitudinally slottedsupporting arms 2I6 of chucks 2I1 to said chuck mount. Secured to theblocks2I2 by cap screws 220 are blocks 22I which are closely spacedtogether and then bored and tapped at their meeting planes to threadedlyreceive lower ends of the hollow shafts I15 of that unit. The holes inthe blocks 22I through which the bolts 220 pass provide a loose fit forsaid bolts whereby these blocks have a degree of'freedom of movementrelative to the blocks 2I2, thereby permitting said blocks 22I to beclamped together on the shafts I15 by pairs of bolts 222 which extendthrough suitable apertures provided horizontally in the blocks 22I.

Each of the nail chucks 2I1 is supported on one end of its arm 2I6 inalignment with one of the drivers I98 with the punch 200 slidablyextending downwardly into said chuck. These chucks may be of anypreferred construction, many variations of which are well known in theart. Each chuck 2I1 is connected by a flexible tube 223 to a funnel 224,these funnels being secured by clamps 225 (see Fig. 2'7) to a bracket226 which is secured by cap screws 221 to an inside face of one of thebars II9 of the crosshead 14. The latter connection is made so as not tointerfere with the longitudinal adjustability of those slide devices I33which are slidable relative to and supported on said bar II9.

Each of the funnels 224 is in vertical alignment with one of the funnels50 of the nail feed mechanism and tubes 228 are formed on the lower endsof the funnels 56 which extend into the funnels 224 in telescopicrelation therewith so that any nail delivered by the mechanism 5| to oneof the funnels 56 gravitates rapidly through the tube 229, funnel 224,and flexible tube 223 associated therewith to the corresponding chuck 2I1.

Operation With the pan 53 charged with nails of the desired size; withthe motor 42 energized to continuously rotate the jack shaft 38; withthe anvil mount 65 adjusted to the proper height and with the anvils 10properly spaced upon it; with the chuck and driver units I30 adjustedlongitudianvils 10 beneath the chucks 2I1 of the various units I30.

The relationships now existing between the main operating parts of themachine are shown in Figs. 3 and 4. These views show the crossheads 13and 14 in their uppermost positions. The crosshead 14 is supported bythe cams I01 these being shown in their upward positions in Fig. 13.

Those chucks 2I1 from which it is desired that nails be driven in thenailing operation being described, have already been supplied with onenail apiece, by the automatic nail feeding mechanism 5|, incidental tothe performance of a previous nailing operation.

The operator now steps momentarily on the pedal 43 which throws inclutch 40, causing the master gear wheels 30 to be given a singlerevolution, at the end of which the clutch 40 is automatically thrownout. The pitmen 80 act directly on the crosshead 13 to rapidlyreciprocate it downwardly and upwardly during said revolution.

During the first part of the downward movement of the crosshead 13 therollers I03 on link I04 (Figs. 13 and 14) move almost directlydownwardly thus moving the cams I01 and crosshead 14 with it. As thelinks IOI reach their vertical positions the chucks 2I1 are just broughtto rest on the work W as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The punches 200 areshown in these views as having been extended downwardly into the chucks2I1 but not sufiiciently to start driving nails therefrom.

As the links IOI swing into vertical position so as to bring the chucksdown into contact with the upper face of the Work W, curved portions 230of the cam tracks I06 of the cams I01 become concentric with the boltsI00 about which the links IOI pivot. As shown in Fig. 12, the balance ofthe downward movement of the crosshead 13 merely shifts the rollers I03through these curved portions of the camways I00 without having anyeffect upon the vertical position of the cams I01, the crosshead 14, orthe chucks 2I1 supported by said crosshead.

Figs. 1, l0, and 11 illustrate the completion of the downward movementof the crosshead 13.

The upward movement of the crossheads 13 and 14 at the completion ofwhich the gear wheels 36 are automatically halted, comprises merely areversal of the downward movement of these crossheads.

In the nailing operation above described, the compensating springs I19of the secondary slide devices I33 yield upon the chucks 2I1 engagingthe surface of the work if this surface is high enough to halt thedownward movement of the chucks 2I1 before the downward movement. of thesecondary crosshead 14 ceases. The latter takes place, of course, whenthe rollers I03, swinging about the axis of the bolts I00, come oppositethe curved portions of the camways I06, whereby the cams I01 supportingthe crosshead 14 remain stationary during the balance of the downwardmovement of the crosshead 13.

In case the machine is inadvertently operated where a downward movementof the chucks is halted by some obstacle, at a level substantially abovethat at which the nailing operation'is intended to take place, themachine will be pro.-

I tectedfrom injury not only by the coil springs I19 (Figs. 1 and 18),but by the yielding of the springs I22 through which the crosshead 14 isheld downwardly on its T-supports II5.

The compensationby the coiled springs I19 and I22 above described is forthe protection of the chucks 2H from injury due to unavoidablevariations in the vertical thickness of the work being handled. Due tothe light structure of these chucks, springs I19 and I22 are relativelylight so that the maximum downward pressure applied to these chucks bysaid springs is insufficient to do any damage to the chucks. The coiledsprings IS'I however, are relatively heavy when compared with thesprings I19, as may be seen by reference to Figs. 17 and 18. Thefunction of the springs I6! is to yield, in a nailing operation, whenthe squared shanks I99 of the nail drivers come into contact with thechucks ZI'I as shown in Figs. 1O, 11 and 16 so that no damage will bedone to the chucks 2|! where the work is thick enough to bring thesquare shanks I99 down against the chucks before the driver crosshead I3has reached its downwardmost position, as shown in Fig. l. The springsI61 must be relatively heavy however so that they will not be made toyield by the resistance to the downward movement of the nail driverswhich is offered by the nails being driven thereby.

The outstanding advantage of the present invention is the extremeflexibility it possesses in the choice afforded in making up the patternin which the nails are driven, from the chucks ZI'I. Among the factorscontributing to this are the placing of the chuck supporting crossheadabove the driver crosshead, forming the two crossheads with longitudinalslideways and then mounting the driver and chuck nail driving devices ona plurality of units which are individually shiftable along saidslideways into any desired relationship in the formation of the naildriving pattern.

This flexibility in disposing the independent groups of nailing devicesis supplemented by the wide variety of choices which the operator maymake in disposing the nail driving devices within each of these groups.Contributing to this latter feature is the unique manner in which thenail driver supports I91 may be selectively positioned in any possiblegrouping within the range of the slots I95 through which the bolts I95extend for securing said driver supports to the plates It I. Theadjustability of the mountings of the chucks 2I'I permits the positionsof these to be correspondingly altered so that wherever the drivers I53may be located on the mounts I90 the chucks associated with thesedrivers will be in true vertical alignment therewith which, of course,is necessary for the cooperation of these elements in the nailingoperation.

In Fig. 4, six pairs of nail drivers and chucks are shown arrangedfairly compactly and it is evident that there is considerable latitudehere for longitudinal adjustment of these elements on their respectivesupports for correspondingly varying the pattern in which the nails willbe located which are driven from these chucks.

Not only is the range in which the location of the nail driving devicesof the invention may be varied an important feature of the invention,but the value of this feature is enhanced by the speed with which thesechanges may be effected. In this connection it might be pointed out thatthe squared heads hi5, I51, and I85 (see Fig. 4) are all made to be fitby a single wrench (not shown) so that a change in the longitudinalposition of any unit I39 may be rapidly eifected by first relaxing theclamp devicesof the respective assemblies I32 and I33 of said unit bythe successive application of said wrench to said squared heads I51 andI55 thereof, and then applyingsaid wrench to one of the squared headsI45 of this unit I39 to slide the unit to the new position desired.Having made this adjustment, the Wrench is then rapidly applied insuccession to the squared heads I51 and I of this unit to tighten up theclamping devices thereof, thereby fixing this unit in its new position.

The claims are:

1. In a nailing machine the combination of: a frame including a base anda pair of parallel standards rising upwardly from said base and rigidlysecured thereto, each of said standards being formed of a pair of smoothbars of uniform cross section connected at the top with each other andwith the bars of the other standards; an anvil structure including apair of fiat plates connected together in spaced relation, opposite endsof said plates sliding on outside faces of the bars of said standards;clamp means for adjustably clamping said end portions of said plates tosaid standard bars to fix said anvil structure on said standards at aselected level; anvils shiftable longitudinally on said plates forsupporting portions of work through which nails are to be drivendownwardly; a nail-driver cross-head includinga pair of spaced plates,corresponding opposite ends of which are joined together and arevertically slidable on said standards; a chuck-supporting cross-headincluding a pair of spaced plates opposite ends of which are connectedand are guided vertically by the bars of said standards; a powermechanism on said frame for reciprocating said nail-driver cross-headvertically for each nail driving operation; cam devices for connectingcorresponding ends of said two cross-heads to effect a coordinatevertical reciprocation of said chuck supporting cross-head with each ofthe aforesaid reciprocations of said nail driving cross-head; a seriesof chuck-and-driver units slidably supported on said cross-heads andhaving clamps for fixing the positions of said units on saidcross-heads, said clamps, when relaxed, permitting the placing of saidnail-and-chuck units 4 in any desired groupings throughout the length ofsaid cross-heads.

2. In a nailing machine the combination of: a frame including a base anda pair of parallel standards rising upwardly from said base and rigidlysecured thereto, each of said standards providing vertical slide ways;an anvil structure mounted on said frame for supporting the work whilenails are being driven therein; a nail-driver cross-head including apair of spaced plates, corresponding opposite ends of which areconnected together and vertically guided by said slide ways; a chucksupporting cross-head including a pair of spaced plates correspondingopposite ends of which are connected and are guided by said standardslide ways; a power mechanism on said frame for coordinatelyreciprocating said two crossheads vertically to accomplish a naildriving operation; and a series of chuck-and-driver units slidablysupported on said cross-heads so as to be shiftable longitudinally ofsaid crossheads into any desired groupings throughout the length of saidcross-heads, each of said units including a chuck and a nail-driver,said chuck being supported on said chuck crosshead and said driver beingsupported on said nail-driver crosshead.

3. A combination as in claim 2 in which said chuck-crosshead is disposedabove said nail driving crosshead and in which each of saidchuckand-driver units includes a pair of primary slide devices which areslidable respectively on the aforesaid plates of said nail-drivercrosshead, each of said primary devices having two vertical bearings; apair of driver support shafts; a pair of chuck support shafts, one shaftof each of said pairs of shafts being vertically slidable in one of saidbearings of each of said primary devices; a pair of secondary slidedevices which are slidable respectively on the aforementioned plates ofsaid chuck supporting crosshead, each of said secondary devices having abearing in which one of said chuck support shafts is verticallyslidable; caps on said driver support shafts retaining the latter intheir respective primary device bearings; caps on said chuck-supportshafts retaining the latter in their respective secondary devicebearings; compensator spring means on said slide devices for yieldablyresisting upward movement of each of said shafts relative to theparticular bearing in which said shaft is retained by its cap asaforesaid, said spring means on said primary slide devices beingrelatively heavy and said spring means on said secondary slide devicesbeing relatively light; a driver mount supported, on and uniting lowerends of said driver supporting shafts; a plurality of nail-driversadjustably carried'by said mount and depending therefrom; a chuck mountsupported on and uniting lower ends of said chuck supporting shafts; aplurality of chucks disposed in vertically slidable relation with saiddrivers; and means for adjustably securing said chucks on said chuckmount.

4. In a nailing machine the combination of a frame; a nail-drivercrosshead; a chuck supporting crosshead disposed above" said nail drivercrosshead, said crossheads being guided vertically at their oppositeends on said frame, said crossheads having co-extensive longitudinalguideways fora major portion of their length; a driverchuck unitsupported on said crossheads and shiftable as a unit on said guidewaysthereof, said unit including slide clamp means slidable on said drivercrosshead; a driver mount and a chuck mount below said driver crosshead,spring compensator means on said slide clamp means and connected to saiddriver mount to support the latter and yield when said mount sustains onexcessive pressure in nailing, a plurality of drivers adjustably mountedon and depending from said mount, bearing means on said slide clampmeans, a slide device slidable on said chuck supporting cross-head,spring compensator means mounted on said device and having shaft meansslidable in said bearing means and connected to said chuck mount tosupport the latter, yet adapted to yield when said chuck mount sustainsa relatively small pressure in a nailing operation, a plurality ofchucks adjustably mounted on said chuck mount in vertically slidingrelation respectively with said drivers; and a power mechanism on saidframe for imparting coordinate vertical reciprocations to saidcross-heads to effect a nailing operation.

5.,A combination as in claim 4 in which said slide clamp means isprovided with a control shaft carrying pinion means; and rack meansprovided on said driver crosshead, said pinion means meshing with saidrack means and shifting said driverchuck unit on said crossheads whensaid control shaft is rotated.

6. A nailing machine, the combination of: a base; a pair of standardsrising from said base;

anvil means disposed between said standards; a

nail driver cross-head; a chuck supporting crosshead disposed above saidnail driver crosshead, said cross-heads being guided vertically by saidstandards; shafts supported on said chuck supporting crosshead, saidshafts extending downwardly through and in slidable relation with saidnail driver crosshead'to a level below the latter; chucks mounted on thelower ends of said shafts; nail drivers mounted on said nail drivercrosshead and extending downwardly therefrom into slidable relation withsaid chucks; and means for coordinately reciprocating said crossheads toeffect a nailing operation on work resting on said anvil means.

'7 In a nailing machine the combination of: a frame; a nail-drivercrosshead including a horizontal pair of spaced plates connected attheir opposite ends and guided vertically on said frame; a chucksupporting crosshead disposed above said nail-driver crosshead andincluding a horizontal pair of spaced bars connected at their oppositeends and guided vertically on said frame, said crossheads beingparallel, said bars being closer together than said plates andequi-distant from the vertical plane which bisects the space betweensaid plates; at chuck-and-driver unit which is slidably supported onsaid crossheads for adjustment longitudinally on the latter, said unitincluding a pair of primary slide devices which are disposed inwardlyfrom and slidable respectively upon the aforesaid plates, each of saiddevices having two vertical bearings, a nail-driver compensator shaftbeing mounted in one of said bearings with a stiff compensator springbiasing said shaft downwardly; a nail-driver mount for each such unitconnecting at its end portions with lower ends of said compensatorshafts of said unit so as to be supported on said shafts, said drivermount having a driver supporting slideway; drivers shiftably supportedon said driver mount in said slideway; a pair of secondary slide devicesdisposed outwardly from and slidable respectively upon the aforesaidbars of said chuck supporting crosshead, each of said secondary devicesproviding a bearing; chuck supporting shafts sliding vertically in theother of said primary devices bearings and in said secondary devicesbearings; springs biasing said chuck supporting shafts downwardly; achuck mount opposite ends of which connect to and are supported on thelower ends of said chuck supporting shafts; a plurality of chucksslidably associated with said drivers; means for adjustably securingsaid chucks onto said chuck mount; and power mechanism for coordinatelyreciprocating said two crossheads vertically with reference to a pieceof work disposed therebeneath to accomplish a nailing operation thereon.

8. A combination as in claim '7 in which racks are provided oncorresponding edges of said plates of said nail-driver crosshead;aligned bearings provided on the aforesaid primary slide devices; acontrol shaft journalling in said bearings; pinions on said controlshaft meshing with said racks; means for rotating said control shaft toshift said chuck-driver unit longitudinally on said crossheads; andclamp means provided on said unit for selectively clamping the same in afixed position relative to said crosshead plates.

9. A combination as in claim '7 in which said chuck mount is offset fromunder said naildriver mount; chuck supporting arms one of which extendslaterally from each of said nail chucks and is provided with alongitudinal slot therein; and bolt means shiftable longitudinally onsaid chuck mount and extending through said slots in said arms toadjustably secure said chucks to said chuck mount in any positionpermissible for-said chucks within the range of their adjustability onsaid mount.

10. In a nailing machine, the combination of: a frame; a nail-drivercrosshead guided vertically at its opposite ends on said frame andhaving a slideway extending substantially the length thereof; a chucksupport crosshead mounted for vertical reciprocation above saidnail-driver crosshead, said chuck supporting crosshead having a slidewayextending substantially the length thereof; means for co-ordinatelyreciprocating said crossheads vertically; and a series of driver chuckunits mounted on said cross heads and freely adjustable longitudinallyrelative to the latter along said slideways, each of said unitscomprising a primary slide device slidable on said nail-driver crossheadslideway, a secondary slide device slidable on the chuck supportingcrosshead slideway, vertical bearing means on said primary slidedevices, shaft means slidable in said bearing means, said shaft meansbeing suspended from said secondary slide device and extending slidablydownwardly through said bearing means, means for supporting a chuck onthe lower end of said shaft means, and a driver mounted on said primaryslide device and extending downwardly therefrom into slidablenail-driving relation with said chuck.

5 Number 11. A combination as in claim 10 in which said chuck supportingcross head is guided on said frame in a direction parallel with saidnail driver crosshead and is free from guidance in a transversedirection.

12. A combination as in claim 10 in which said primary slide device isprovided with a clamp for clamping said device to said crossheads tomaintain any desired longitudinal relationship between said units andsaid crossheads.

13. A combination as in claim 10 in. which said primary slide device isprovided with a stiff compensator spring, said driver being mounted onsaid spring whereby the latter yields upon said driver meeting anexcessive resistance in a nailing operation.

ERNEST A. VERRINDER. REGINALD H. HEARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 2,488,757 Benson Nov. 22, 1949

